LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (KTHV) -- St. Edward School faced a $300,000 deficit for the 2017-2018 school year.
However, through donations they were able to finish this school year, but the future of the school was still in jeopardy.
Superintendent of the Diocese of Little Rock Vernell Bowen said they had to make $233,000 in staffing cuts.
They eliminated the principal, Art, PE, Spanish, and Computer teachers as well as janitor services and cafeteria staff but they were still coming out a little over $70,000 short.
“It's going to take a lot of work next year on those classroom teacher because they're going to pick up those support activities,” she said.
Since the financial troubles of St. Edward's was made public, the Catholic community has stepped up.
Mon Signor Francis Malone, Pastor at Christ the King, said his church donated $100,000 and the students at their school donated $7,000. He said the concerns of one school become the concerns of all the schools.
“I'm confident they're going to pull this off, there's a lot of changes and a lot of challenges for them but I’m really confident it's going to work,” he said.
Catholic High Principal Steve Straessle said they held a day of giving on social media for their sister school and raised a little over $47,000. He said the decision to do so was not really a decision, it was a trigger.
“A strong St. Edwards school is a strong Catholic High School and we were able to get that message across,” he said.
Superintendent Bowen said with all of the generosity, she knows there's a promising future for St. Edwards.
“It's a network of schools, we have 27 schools across the state and when things like this happen, other schools reach out to help,” she said.
St. Edward also received $100,000 from an anonymous challenge grant and various other donations.